Buy or Sell Knowledge at Moontoast

Let's say you're a talented chef, but you've always wanted to learn how to play the guitar. Or perhaps you know a thing or two about mixed drinks but always wanted to learn how to build your own computer. There are a number of places where you can look up generic video tutorials on any topic you'd like to learn more about, but Moontoast is one of the first services I've seen that allows you to find someone to actually teach you a skill via the Web, and gives you a place to share your knowledge with others looking to learn from you.

Unlike services like HowCast and SuTree where members simply record videos for a broad audience looking to learn a specific skill and people looking for general knowledge can find a tutorial that will get them started, Moontoast is designed for one-on-one learning and mentoring.

The premise is still the same; someone with knowledge signs up with the desire to share their hobby, skill, or talent with the rest of the world. If you're interested in learning what that person knows, instead of just browsing their videos, you can connect with them directly and work with them to hone your skills. Best of all, learning a skill from someone through Moontoast is personal - you work out a time to connect with your instructor using the site's video conferencing tools and meet up with them at the specified time for a real-time lesson where you can ask questions, interact with your teacher, and get a lesson catered specifically to what you want to learn.

Part of what makes Moontoast special is that the service aims to bring together a wealth of knowledge across hundreds of categories and subject areas. When you sign up for an account, you can specify areas you're willing to teach in addition to topics you're interested in learning more about.

For example, you can find everything from help parenting a child diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder to a life coach to help keep you motivated and organized, all available at certain times a day to sit down with you and work with you on your specific issue. There's even one Moontoast member willing to do a personalized wardrobe makeover with you via the Web, or go through your closet with you to help you make the hard decisions about what looks good and what doesn't.

For every questionable service available at Moontoast, there are other more concrete skills available as well. One member is willing to give you an hour and work with you to compose original music and score for your film or video project. Another member is willing to help you with your PHP and MySQL development issues, and another is willing to help get you up to speed using Drupal as a content management tool.

Before you schedule a session, you can review a short description of the class, the profile of the instructor, and when the instructor is available to meet with you. You can also check the instructor's calendar to see when they may be signed up to meet with other Moontoast users. When you're schedule to meet with someone, Moontoast facilitates the video conference for you, and will connect you with the other member.

Moontoast is in beta, and while the service is signing up members, it's not terribly clear how many of them are actually scheduling and meeting with one another. The service trades in "credits," which you earn or spend based on the duration and complexity of the course. How you'll obtain credits or whether the service will remain free, is all up in the air and currently undefined. Even the service's FAQ and "About Us" pages lead to generic "coming soon" links.

Even so, Moontoast can serve as a great way to connect with people who have experiences, skills, or knowledge that you may be interested in learning. As the service grows and comes out of beta, it's likely that it'll wind up being a paid service, so it might be worthwhile to learn what you can now before that happens, or alternatively pass until it's a little more mature. In any event, there's plenty to learn at Moontoast now, and the ability to have a live session where you teach or learn from a real human being via the Web is incredibly valuable.

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Automatic Renewal Program: Your subscription will continue without interruption for as long as you wish, unless
you instruct us otherwise. Your subscription will automatically renew at the end of the term unless you authorize
cancellation. Each year, you'll receive a notice and you authorize that your credit/debit card will be charged the
annual subscription rate(s). You may cancel at any time during your subscription and receive a full refund on all
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